Edward Klink

Thursday, August 31, 2006

"I told myself that acts of folly are the only things that one doesn't regret in life. With projects like this, you just have to go for them, full-speed ahead." So says Frenchman Michel Guyot, as he constructs his own personal medieval castle.

{ Posted By edward } { 8:20 AM }

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Snakes...why'd it have to be snakes?

A researcher is proposing the interesting theory that humans' highly developed eyesight is a result of our eons-long battle with snakes. But I've needed glasses since the fourth grade. Without my contacts, and pair of Wiley's and Steiner's I'd have to be as close as Indy here to see 'em.

{ Posted By edward } { 8:45 AM }

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Now these parasites are some nasty, ingenious little beasties. They're beyond bizarre. And if you want to get even weirder you can read about the Candiru of the Amazon. Or thank your cat for Toxoplasma gondii, the single-celled parasite some believe is controlling human minds.

{ Posted By edward } { 12:45 PM }

Looking for inspiration for podcast theme music, we've been listening to all sorts of cool stuff. I dug out a couple of favorites from the '90's, some Willie Nelson and Hugh Masekela. Nelson's Teatro is a departure from his traditional country sound; recorded in Mexico it has a distinct south of the border Cuban/Latin feel to it. And Masekela's hope is an amazing concert of jazzed-up South African and Caribbean sounds.

The sun is filled with ice and gives no warmth at all
The sky was never blue

{ Posted By edward } { 8:51 AM }

Thanks to John for the heads up on the tequila-themed "Emeril" show the other night. Along with some live tunes and frosty Waboritas from special guest Sammy, Emeril made some tasty-looking tequila ribs, oyster shooters and sorbet. Bam!

I'm goin' way down south where the big blue agave grow
Takin' a weekend trip down to Baja, Mexico!

{ Posted By edward } { 8:46 AM }

From the "Albums that rock" file. It was somewhere back in 1982 and I was staying home from school because I was really sick. You know when you are so sick and you can't get out of bed even if you tried. The kind that only 48 hours of liquids and toast can fix. So I'm laying there enduring chills and my next door neighbor Paul comes by my house to see if I was walking to school. I waved him away with a groan. "Save yourself," I moaned. As Paul turned to leave he reached into his book bag, pulled out a black cassette tape, and tossed it to me. "Here," he said. "Try this." I took the tape, and snapped it into the Sony tape deck by my bed before sinking back beneath the covers. Suddenly, the thumping bass of "Runnin with the Devil" pounded its way through my delirium. I opened one crusty eye. Then the insanity of "Eruption" electrified my nervous system and my other eye popped open. "What was this music?" I wondered as I lay in the darkened room. Too weak to get out of bed, I ended up listening to that album for the better part of the day. Perhaps the pile-driving strains of "Atomic Punk" imbued me with sonic motivation; or maybe the pulse-pounding riffs of "On Fire" caused my white blood cells to regroup and battle the invading germs with renewed resolve. Either way, by the evening I was feeling much better.

So there you have it, my introduction to one of the classic rock albums of all time. I think I'll dig it out and crank it up.

I've been to the edge
And then I stood and looked down
You know I lost a lot of friends there, baby
I got no time to mess around

So if you want it got to bleed for it

{ Posted By edward } { 8:40 AM }

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

I just finished Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. It's an exploration of comics as an art form and storytelling medium. It's a 214 page comic book about comics, tracing their origins from ancient Sumerian tablets to today's graphic novels.

Author Scott McCloud muses about why comics are often viewed as "lower" art forms, when in fact they are quite complex and utilize a variety of ingenious storytelling techniques. (I like McCloud's definition of art: "Any human activity which doesn't grow out of either of our species' two basic instincts: Survival and reproduction." So true).

But as a kid I collected comics because I liked them, no explanation or excuse necessary. Recently I came across a box of my old comics. Written all over the box in black magic marker was an urgent message in explosive eye-catching letters,"Comics! Save! Do Not Throw Out! Do Not Sell!"

As I looked at it I realized it was a message from my ten-year old self sent across the gulf of time aimed directly at me. That boy knew the biggest threat to his comic collection was a future version of himself, an adult with neither the time nor inclination to be bothered by comics. But those fading copies of "Batman," "Silver Surfer," "Weird War Tales" and "Jonah Hex" (OK, and a few "Archie's") all helped jump start my imagination. I remember how much I loved visiting those worlds.

Don't worry kid, I'm not getting rid of 'em.

{ Posted By edward } { 6:19 AM }